1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dehumidification apparatus, and more particularly to a novel regenerative desiccant bundle adapted to absorb moisture from a surrounding environment and further being adapted to be dried and reused.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice to employ a variety of desiccant materials for absorbing moisture present in rooms, boat interiors, instrument packages and the like. In some instances, dehumidifiers take the form of electric devices, such as lights, which generate heat in order to effect drying of a moisture environment. In other instances, crystals, such as silica gel, are employed in elastomeric webs. In the latter instance, the silica gel is of micron-size similar to a powder.
In the majority of instances cited above, the removal of moisture is limited to a small amount of water and such devices are not useful in an extremely wet environment, such as freezers or the like. In instances where silica gel is employed, the desiccant becomes readily saturated with moisture and cannot be dried for subsequent use. Therefore, in the latter instance, the desiccant package must be discarded.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a moisture absorbing packet or bundle which may be placed in an extremely wet environment, such as a walk-in freezer where wetness generally forms into ice and provides an unsafe condition. Such a bundle or packet must include a desiccant, such as in crystalline form, which offers high capacity of moisture accumulation and which is suitable for heat drying, such as in an oven, so that the packet or bundle can be reused.